"Sitting on the fence is the most painful place to be." Discover why keeping your options open is actually trapping you, and how to unlock the freedom of being fully committed.
Jeremy Haroldson continues the "Committed" series by dismantling the modern idol of "keeping your options open." We live in a culture of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) where commitment is viewed as a cage.
This teaching flips the script. Commitment isn't a cage; it's a launchpad. Using the definition of a "vow," Jeremy explains why you cannot make progress in any area of life—business, marriage, or faith—until you close the back door. If you are tired of lukewarm results, it's time to examine the temperature of your commitment.
We treat commitment like a mood. Jeremy treats it like a contract. "A vow is a solemn promise to perform a specified act."
When you vow, you surrender your future options. You decide now what you will do then, regardless of how you feel. This removes "decision fatigue." You don't have to decide every morning if you are going to be faithful; you decided that ten years ago when you made the vow. This is the secret to consistency.
Jeremy challenges the idea of "private" commitment. "If you are ashamed of the mission, you are not committed to it."
Why must commitment be public? Because public declaration burns the bridge to the past. If you tell everyone "I am quitting smoking," you have social leverage to help you stick to it. If you keep it secret, you are planning to fail. "Public commitment brings private accountability."
"Sitting on the fence is the most painful place to be."
Indecision is torture. You have enough conviction to be miserable in the world, but not enough commitment to be joyful in the Kingdom. Jeremy argues that it is actually easier to be 100% committed than 90% committed. The 90% is a constant battle; the 100% is settled.
You cannot win the pot if you don't push your chips in. "God cannot bless a life that is holding back chips."
We want the maximum return with the minimum investment. That is bad economics and bad theology. If you want the full benefit of a relationship (with God or people), you have to take the full risk of vulnerability and dedication.
Most people fail because they have a "Plan B." As long as Plan B exists, Plan A will never get your full strength.
Jeremy's challenge: Identify where you are hedging your bets. Is it in your marriage? Your career? Your faith? Close the door. Make the vow. Burn the ship. When retreat is impossible, victory becomes inevitable.
Perfect for:
Public commitment aligns your external reality with your internal decision. It invites others to hold you to your word. Psychologically, we are far more likely to follow through on a promise made to a group than a promise made only to ourselves.
Jeremy distinguishes: "Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you everything." Salvation is a gift you receive; discipleship is a life you live. It costs your ego, your preferences, and your autonomy. But in exchange, you get purpose, power, and legacy.
Fear of failure often keeps us from commitment. But avoiding the vow guarantees failure (stagnation). The vow itself provides the strength to keep it. You don't vow because you are strong; you vow to become strong. It is the structure that supports your growth.
Key Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:37
"Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil."